In an unprecedented move, the local self-government (LSG) department in Rajasthan is preparing to send recovery notices to the owners of 20 buildings that were demolished in Chomu town near Jaipur. This action follows a significant enforcement drive carried out on Friday, which was linked to alleged incidents of violence against police.
Demolition Drive Linked to December Violence
The large-scale demolition operation targeted structures near a mosque in Chomu, located approximately 35 kilometers from Jaipur. Officials stated that the action was directly related to the owners' alleged involvement in stone-pelting incidents against police personnel on the night of December 25-26.
Following the violence, the Chomu Nagar Palika had issued notices against the owners of these 20 buildings. In a parallel action, notices were also served for three additional buildings that were allegedly constructed without the necessary documents. These three structures were sealed by the authorities, who warned of further action if the owners failed to apply for land conversion within a stipulated timeframe.
A First-of-its-Kind Recovery Process
A senior LSG department official explained on Saturday that the process of issuing recovery notices is standard in such cases. Typically, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) and the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) handle this to ensure the errant property owners bear the financial burden incurred by the civic body for the demolition.
However, for the area under Chomu Nagar Palika, this would mark the first instance of such recovery notices being issued. Sandeep Singh Kaviya, the health inspector of Chomu Nagar Palika who led the enforcement drive, emphasized the scale of the operation. He stated that while earlier drives focused on encroachments, never before had portions of 20 buildings been razed simultaneously in a single large-scale action.
Implications and Official Stance
The decision to recover demolition costs signals a stricter approach by civic authorities towards holding property owners accountable for illegal activities associated with their structures. The move aims to deter future violations and ensure that the financial cost of enforcement actions does not fall on the public exchequer.
Officials clarified that the recovery notice process is a established protocol meant to penalize those who violate building norms or are implicated in unlawful activities connected to their property. The Friday demolition drive itself was noted as a significant escalation in the civic body's enforcement capabilities within the region.
